UAS provides a comprehensive set of benefits for employees. Download an 
employee benefits summary.
Benefits Eligibility Matrix Opens in a new window
Employee Medical Dental and Vision Premium Rates effective 1/1/2024 Opens in a new window
Leave and Holidays
The UAS Office employees are eligible for annual leave (vacation) by category as described below. Eligible employees are encouraged to take their earned vacation during the year in which it was earned. Eligible employees who are employed on or before the 15th of the month earn vacation at the full monthly accrual rate; eligible employees employed after the 15th do not accrue any vacation for that month. Only accrued unused vacation may be taken and vacation hours or days cannot be advanced. Vacation must be approved by the employee’s supervisor before actual absence except in an emergency.
Recognized holidays occurring during vacation will not be charged to vacation time. No allowance will be made for sickness or other incapacity occurring during vacation.
- Annual Leave
UAS Office employees are eligible for annual leave (vacation). Exempt and non-exempt employees accrue 22 days per year at the time of employment. Employees should submit leave requests via isolved as soon as is practical. Supervisors must approve or deny leave requests before payroll processes for the period in which the leave will be taken.
Part-time employees accrual rate is prorated.
- Sick Leave
Eligible employees are granted sick leave due to absences as a result of personal illness or injury, or serious illness within their immediate households to the extent of available sick leave. Immediate household includes any relative living in the employee’s home.
All employees earn sick leave at the rate of one day for each full month worked.
Part-time employees accrual rate is prorated.
- Personal Days
UA System Employees receive five personal days per fiscal year (October 1 – September 30) used at the discretion of the employee and approved by their supervisor. New employees will be prorated according to hire date.
Personal holidays must be taken between October 1 and September 30 and are NOT accumulated or rolled over.
Part-time employees accrual rate is prorated.
- Paid Holidays
UA System Office employees receive ten designated holidays each year as follows:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Friday following Thanksgiving
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day
Normally, if a holiday falls on a Saturday, it shall be observed on the previous Friday. If it falls on a Sunday, it shall be observed on the following Monday.
The current year Holiday Schedule can be found on the Employee Resources Page.
Health and Wellness
The UAS Office requires all regular full-time employees to carry health insurance as a condition of employment. Waiver of this policy may be granted for those who provide evidence of substantially equivalent coverage through another group or through individual policies. Regular part-time employees with a .5 FTE or greater may enroll at their option. Temporary full-time employees also have the option to enroll, but temporary employees who work less than full time are ineligible to participate in this program.
- Medical Insurance
Medical Insurance is offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. Premiums are paid by employee and employer (rates listed at top of page).
For information concerning enrollment, cancellation, or address and name changes please contact the HR Department directly at (205) 348-9506.
Open Enrollment is annually in November for the UA System Office. Further information is provided by the HR Department concerning open enrollment dates.
Virtual ID Cards – BCBS
This new feature allows members to view the front and back of their insurance ID cards. Members can send their cards via email to their providers before an appointment or when they arrive. The card can also be sent by email to covered dependents or their providers. A secure email from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama is sent so providers know the email is legitimate. Members can view their virtual ID cards through their myBlueCross member accounts online.
Virtual ID cards are also available on the Alabama Blue mobile application. The cards can be accessed directly via the ID card icon on the BCBS home screen, where users will be prompted to log in to myBlueCross. Members can view benefits, manage contract information and find providers through the app. Members with Health Reimbursement Accounts or Flexible Spending Accounts can use the app to take photos of their receipts and submit them for reimbursement. For more information, visit the BCBS Mobile App site.
Important Links
BCBS Website Opens in a new window
Blue Cross Blue Shield High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP)
For the first time, UAS employees will now have a choice in medical plans with the introduction of a new high-deductible health plan (HDHP) option with a Health Savings Account (HSA). The new HDHP features lower premiums and higher deductibles. Participants will pay less in monthly premiums to maintain coverage, but will pay more out-of-pocket when receiving medical care. Every employee or family must satisfy the higher deductible before the plan begins to pay. After the deductible is met, participants will pay a 20% coinsurance based on the allowed or eligible charges. Once a participant reaches the out-of-pocket maximum, the plan will pay 100% of the covered expenses for the remainder of the calendar year.
Important Links
Health Insurance Model Notices
Helpful Links
- Dental Insurance
Dental Insurance is offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. You and your dependents are eligible for coverage within one month of hire date. Premiums are paid by employee (rates listed at top of page). For information concerning enrollment, cancellation, or address and name changes please contact the HR Department directly at (205) 348-9506.
Open Enrollment is annually in November for the UA System Office. Further information is provided by the HR Department concerning open enrollment dates.
Important Note About the Network
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s Dental Network is a statewide dental network. There are currently more than 1,410 dentists (approximately 78% of the dentists in Alabama) who have joined this program. Payments for covered services provided by out-of-network dentists in Alabama will be made according to the dental network fee schedule at the same level as in-network services. Participants using an out-of-network dentist may be responsible for the difference between the Blue Cross payment and the dentist’s charge (plus any deductible and coinsurance). Participants using an out-of-network dentist may also have to file the claim if the dentist’s office will not.
In order for participants to maximize their dental benefit, it is important that participants choose a preferred dental provider in the Blue Cross Network of Preferred Providers (see link below).
- Vision Insurance
You have a choice between two carriers for Vision Insurance: UnitedHealthcare or VSP. You and your dependents are eligible for coverage within one month of hire date. Premiums are paid by employee (rates listed at top of page). For information concerning enrollment, cancellation, or address and name changes please contact the HR Department directly at (205) 348-9506.
Open Enrollment is annually in November for the UA System Office. Further information is provided by the HR Department concerning open enrollment dates.
UnitedHealthcare Vision
Important Information for participants in the UnitedHealthcare (Spectera) Vision Plan:
When choosing an in-network provider, claims may be filed by the provider by identifying yourself as a UnitedHealthcare Vision Plan Participant and providing your social security number and date of birth. No insurance card is necessary for claims.
Out of Network Claims: If you choose an out-of-network provider, you still receive a great benefit. Annual claims should be submitted at one time and not intermittently throughout the year to receive reimbursement for out of network claims. Receipts should be submitted within 12 months of the date of service. You will be reimbursed up to the out-of-network maximums listed on the benefit summary. In order to receive reimbursement, submit all itemized paid receipt(s), along with the primary insured’s social security number and patient’s name and date of birth to the following address:
United Health (Spectera) Claims Department
P.O. Box 30978
Salt Lake CIty, UT 84130
Fax: (248) 733-6060Related Links
- UnitedHealthcare Website Opens in a new window
- UnitedHealthcare Vision Insurance Summary
- UHC Vision Provider Network Flier
- Find a UnitedHealthcare (Spectera) Provider Opens in a new window (requires SS# & DOB of employee)
- UHC and Warby Parker Benefits Flier
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Nominate a Vision Provider for Network
VSP Vision
- Pharmacy Benefits
Effective January 1, 2019, Pharmacy Benefits are provided through Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Below is some useful information regarding your pharmacy benefits.
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
Eligible employees can take advantage of flexible spending accounts which are administered by PayFlex. Participants can set aside pretax money via payroll deductions to pay for healthcare and dependent care expenses not covered by benefit plans. Money set aside in these accounts will reduce taxable income, providing participants with more value for the dollar.
More information about FSAs:
- Health Saving Account (HSA)
An HSA is a tax-advantaged medical savings account available only to individuals enrolled in a HDHP. HSAs are like individual savings accounts, but the money in the account is used to pay for qualified medical, dental, and vision expenses. It can also help participants save for future medical expenses.
- Disease Management Programs
The following disease management programs are only available to eligible employees and adult dependent(s) who are enrolled in a UAS health plan (PPO or HDHP). All disease management programs are FREE and voluntary, but some may require a diagnosis of one of the chronic medical conditions outlined below.
Hinge Health
Hinge Health provides personalized care plans designed to treat muscle and joint issues from head to toe – including back, knee, pelvic pain and more. Their exercise therapy programs are designed to help you reach your health goals, recover from injuries, prepare for surgery, address pelvic health issues, or find strategies to stay healthy and pain free. Whether you’re hoping to overcome nagging pain, recover from recent injuries, prepare for surgery, address pelvic health issues, or find new strategies to stay healthy and pain free, Hinge Health will assess your condition and match you to a care team to help personalize your treatment to you.
This benefit is available to employees and their eligible adult dependents (18+) at no cost – 100% covered by The University of Alabama System. Plus, you can complete your customized care plan anywhere, any time.
To see how Hinge Health can help you, visit hinge.health/uasystem Opens in a new window
Virta
Get your life back–and leave diabetes behind! With Virta, you can lose weight, reduce medications, and save money so you can get back to what you love. Virta is a research-backed treatment that reverses type 2 diabetes through a combination of nutritional ketosis, medical supervision, and one-on-one health coaching. Virta helps to naturally reduce your blood sugar and A1c, eliminate diabetes medications, and lose weight by using food as medicine. The University of Alabama System fully covers the cost of Virta for eligible employees and their adult dependents with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes who are enrolled in an employer-sponsored health plan through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama. Learn more about Virta’s diabetes solution at virtahealth.com/join/uas
Livongo
Livongo is a voluntary health coaching program that enables people living with diabetes to share blood glucose readings and other health data with Certified Diabetes Educators. Program participants will receive a free Welcome Kit which includes: 1) a smart-touch glucose meter, scale and blood pressure cuff, and (2) unlimited A1c testing supplies via mail order delivery.
Meet Hinge Health, a new benefit to support back, muscle and joint pain! Available Jan. 1, 2024.
Employees can enroll in the Livongo program in one of the two following ways:
• Go to welcome.livongo.com and click “Join Now”, or
• Call Livongo Member Support at 800-945-4355
Employees will be asked for a registration code and should specify UASYSTEM.
Disability and Life Insurance
The System helps employees plan for the unexpected with sponsored group life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance.
- Employer-sponsored Basic Group Life and AD&D Insurance
The University of Alabama System offers Employer Sponsored Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment plans to eligible employees. Eligible employees are automatically covered beginning their date of hire; no enrollment is necessary.
Existing employees and participants may review current benefits or update beneficiary information in iSolved.
To file a claim contact The Standard at (855) 757-4714, for assistance you can also contact the HR Department at (205) 348-9506.
- Employer-sponsored Long-term Disability Insurance
The University of Alabama System provides at no cost to eligible employees Long-Term Disability Insurance through The Standard. The policy provides for salary continuation at 66 2/3% of current salary, not to exceed $10,000 per month and begins on the 91st day of “total disability.” After 90 days of benefit payments, the plan changes from 66 2/3% to 60% of current salary and continues at that rate for the duration of the claim. Further information can be found below:
- Optional Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance
The University of Alabama System offers Voluntary Term Life and AD&D Insurance to eligible employees through The Standard Insurance Company. New hires will receive information regarding this benefit and be provided the opportunity to enroll during the benefits enrollment process in iSolved.
Existing employees and participants may review plan options, current benefits, and update beneficiary information.
To file a claim contact The Standard at (855) 757-4714, for assistance you can also contact the HR Department at (205) 348-9506.
- Optional Short-term Disability Insurance
Short-term disability pays 60% of your salary if you become temporarily disabled and unable to work for a short period of time due to illness/pregnancy or accident. All full-time employees will be eligible to enroll in this post-tax, employee-paid benefit on a voluntary basis.
Retirement
All eligible employees are required by state law to participate in the Teacher's Retirement System (TRS). This defined benefit program provides retired employees with a specific benefit payable monthly for the lifetime of the member. In addition to the employee contribution, the System contributes a percentage which is determined by the Alabama Legislature. The University of Alabama System also offers supplemental 403(b) and 457(b) plans.
- 401(a) Teacher's Retirement Plan
All eligible employees are required by state law to participate in TRS. This defined benefit program provides retired employees with a specific benefit payable monthly for the lifetime of the member. In addition to the employee contribution, the System contributes a percentage which is determined by the Alabama Legislature.
- Tier 1 Employees (those hired prior to January 1, 2013), contribute a mandatory 7.50% of their gross annual salary to TRS.
- Tier 2 Employees (those hired on or after January 1, 2013), contribute a mandatory 6.20% of their gross annual salary to TRS.
Further information on retirement benefits can be found in the TRS Handbook, links to these are listed below.
Upon service retirement, employees are also eligible to join the state’s Public Education Employee Health Insurance Plan (PEEHIP). Rates for this plan vary based on years of TRS service.
Individuals resigning from employment before vesting in the program, or before qualifying to receive benefits, may request a refund of their contributions and applicable interest.
For more information, select from the links below:
- 403(b) and 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plans
403(b) Deferred Compensation Plans
The University of Alabama System offers a 403(b) supplemental retirement plan that allows eligible employees a great way to accumulate wealth for retirement. The plan, administered by TIAA, offers convenient payroll deduction, pre-tax contributions, tax-deferred growth, and a wide variety of investment options including Roth options. The University of Alabama System makes a matching contribution for all regular Full-Time Exempt staff on employee contributions up to 5% of gross monthly pay. Any contributions above 5% are not matched by the System.
TIAA
TIAA offers a one-on-one counseling session with one of their advisors. Contact our HR Department to be directed to our representative.
457(b) Deferred Compensation Plans
The University of Alabama System provides a choice of 457(b) plans that allow eligible employees to defer receipt of a portion of their salary until some later date, usually at retirement or termination of employment. Contributions are made on a pretax basis and accumulate tax-free until withdrawal. Contributions to 457(b) plans may be made instead of, or in addition to, any 403(b) contributions. 457(b) Plans are not matched by the System.
Eligible employees may participate in both 403(b) and 457(b) plans in the same year, contributing up to the maximum amounts allowed by federal law to each plan.
You can enroll or manage your plan through TIAA Opens in a new window.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The University of Alabama System Office’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider transitions to GuidanceResources by ComPsych beginning Jan. 1, 2024. The GuidanceResources platform features an enhanced provider network because ComPsych is the world’s largest provider of mental health services. Your EAP will continue to offer free and confidential counseling sessions, plus complimentary legal, financial and work-life guidance, whenever and wherever you need it.
Review the GuidanceResources ToolKit for an in-depth look at the expansive, new resources available to you.
- Additional Employee Assistance Program Information
What’s an Employee Assistance Program?
Everyone has problems juggling the demands of work, family, and other obligations that combine to make life stressful. Effective Jan. 1, 2024, The University of Alabama System Office engages a new behavioral health care organization, GuidanceResources by ComPsych, to provide an enhanced EAP that offers access to professionally trained counselors as a resource for coping more effectively with a variety of life challenges. ComPsych maintains a worldwide network of licensed and credentialed, master-level providers. Eligible employees and dependents will have expanded access to highly-qualified counselors. Watch a video to learn more about the services provided by ComPsych GuidanceResources.
Your EAP offers confidential assessment and short-term, professional counseling services. Eligible employees and dependents may receive up to five (5) free counseling sessions per issue per year to address pressures associated with marital and family issues, grief and loss, interpersonal relationship difficulties and more. GuidanceResources Online also provides unlimited access to scheduled, telephonic counseling or coaching sessions.
Emotional Support Services
Your ComPsych GuidanceResources program can help! The EAP is designed to provide eligible employees and their family members with resources for resolving work-related and personal problems. Personal setbacks, emotional conflicts or just the demands of daily life can affect your work, health and family. With help from your GuidanceResources® program, they don’t have to. This UA-sponsored benefit is available to you and your family members at no cost and gives you someone to talk to when life’s challenges threaten to overwhelm you. The program is staffed by highly trained, caring clinicians who are available by phone or online 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Call 1-888-283-3515 any time with personal concerns, including:
- Stress, anxiety and depression
- Marital and family conflicts
- Alcohol or drug use
- Job-related pressures
- Dealing with change
- Grief and loss
The Employee Assistance Program provides a free assessment, short-term counseling (5 sessions per issue per year), and long-term referral services. Referrals are made in consultation with you if additional mental health services are needed.
EAP services are always confidential. Information regarding you and your counseling sessions is not released to your manager or supervisor and will not be made a part of your personnel file. Watch a video where ComPsych answers some questions about counseling. Only statistical data is reported to the University of Alabama System Office that provides a composite of the employee population served. Your right to privacy is protected within the State of Alabama and federal guidelines.
New! Work-Life Solutions
Get the everyday help you need. Just call your ComPsych® GuidanceResources® toll-free number 1-888-283-3515. The Work-Life Specialists will research your question, and, in just a few business days, send you a complete packet of practical information, including prescreened referrals, articles on your topic and much more. The materials can be delivered to you via email or second-day air.
Call any time for assistance with topics, including:
- Finding child or elder care
- Relocation services, including housing searches
- Seeking financial assistance
- Finding pet care
- Sending a child off to school
- Planning a major project or event
New! Legal Guidance
Get the legal help you need. Just call your ComPsych® GuidanceResources® toll-free number 1-888-283-3515 to access unlimited, 30-minute telephonic sessions. You’ll be connected to a highly trained, caring clinician who will talk with you about your situation and schedule a phone appointment for you with one of our staff attorneys. If you need more immediate help, you can be connected to an attorney directly.
ComPsych attorneys can help you with:
- Family law matters, including divorce, custody, child support and adoption
- Bankruptcy and credit issues
- Landlord/tenant issues, including eviction and lease questions
- Real estate and foreclosure questions
- Immigration concerns
- Wills and living wills
New! Financial Resources
Get the expert, objective help you need. Just call your ComPsych® GuidanceResources® toll-free number 1-888-283-3515 to access unlimited, 30-minute telephonic sessions. You’ll be connected to a highly trained, caring clinician who will talk with you about your specific situation and schedule a phone appointment for you with one of ComPsych’s financial experts.
ComPsych’s in-house staff includes Certified Public Accountants, Certified Financial Planners and other professionals dedicated exclusively to providing financial information to you by phone. And because ComPsych’s experts are not associated with any financial institution, you are assured that they will provide impartial and objective information on your money topics.
ComPsych financial experts can help you with:
- Credit card and debt management
- Budgeting, retirement and estate planning
- Tax and real estate questions
- Financing for college
- Investment options
- Mortgages, loans and refinancing
New! Online Support
What you want, when you want it. Access your ComPsych® GuidanceResources® services anytime, anywhere from your computer, tablet or smartphone. ComPsych’s award-winning portal, GuidanceResources® Online, is your go-to site for expert information and tools on the issues that matter most to you: relationships, work, school, parenting, wellness, legal, financial, free time and much more. With 24/7 access, you can get the info you need when and where you need it.
Go online for:
- Articles, podcasts, videos, slideshows
- On-demand trainings, online communities and chat
- “Ask a GuidanceConsultantSM” personal responses to your questions
Download the free GuidanceNow app to gain access.
- Register as a first-time user on GuidanceResources.com using your organizations web ID (UAS)
- Download the app from either the App Store or Google play
- Log in using your username and password
New! Digital Self-Care Tools
Free, computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (CCBT) tools available anytime, anywhere. Your GuidanceResources® program offers a platform of digital self-care tools that can help you tackle stress, depression and other common mental health issues–whenever and from wherever you need to. Provided in partnership with Koa Foundations, this interactive, user-friendly platform is a powerful, self-contained wellness solution. The dynamic, digital content is grounded in evidence-based techniques, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness and positive psychology, and is curated by skilled psychologists. It’s also clinically proven to enhance mental health and well-being.
Focus Areas: Anxiety, depression, mindfulness, sleep improvement, stress, resilience, positive thinking, low self-esteem and more.
How It Works: To get started, Foundations asks you about your goals. Maybe it’s wanting to sleep better, or to be less stressed or to have more confidence in yourself. Using your answers, the platform creates individualized experiences through interactive programs, skill-building tools and inspirational resources you access right from your smartphone or tablet. These experiences may help you reduce personal roadblocks, eliminate stress and anxiety, and overcome mental barriers. All the while, the program tracks your progress and keeps you motivated on your journey to a better you.
On-Site Crisis Intervention
In the event of a major disaster, loss of life, or crisis situation, EAP staff is available to provide on-site assistance also known as Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) within 2 hours. Please contact Human Resources at (205) 348-9506 when a “critical incident” impacts your employees or the workplace.
Employee Training
In-person Training
UAS employees may participate in all in-person training available at each UAS employee’s respective campus. You may need a campus ID badge or number in order to participate. For registration and schedules, please contact your campus’s Human Resources office.
Additional Benefits
WellBAMA
WellBAMA Opens in a new window is the University of Alabama’s signature wellness program for faculty and staff including UA System Office employees. Their dedicated team of health and wellness professionals are available to help you understand your current level of health, identify goals, and provide you with the programs and resources you need to achieve those goals. Don’t forget, for employees who participate in WellBAMA, some training courses count toward your program requirement for the year. Reach out to UAS Human Resources Opens in a new window for more information on qualifying programs.
